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SharePoint Online: How to Publish a File using PowerShell?

Salaudeen Rajack 0 Comments ,

Requirement: Publish a Document in SharePoint Online

How to Publish a File in SharePoint Online?

When you enable minor versions (or drafts) in SharePoint Online, changes to any document aren’t available to users with read-only permissions until it’s published. Published documents become major versions such as 1.0. Here is how to publish a file in SharePoint Online:

  • Navigate to the document library where your file is located.
  • Right-click on the document to publish >> In the context menu, choose More >> and then click on Publish.
    publish document in sharepoint online
  • Enter a comment in the Comments box and click on OK.

It publishes a major version, and others can view the file now!

PowerShell to Publish a Document in SharePoint Online

Here is the PowerShell you needed to publish a file from SharePoint Online:

#Load SharePoint CSOM Assemblies
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.dll"
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.Runtime.dll"

#Set Parameters
$SiteURL="https://Crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing"
$FileRelativeURL ="/Sites/Marketing/Team Documents/Project Proposal.docx"
$Comment="Final Version"

#Get Credentials to connect
$Cred= Get-Credential

Try{
    #Setup the context
    $Ctx = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext($SiteURL)
    $Ctx.Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($Cred.Username, $Cred.Password)

    #Get the File to Publish
    $File = $Ctx.Web.GetFileByServerRelativeUrl($FileRelativeURL)
    $Ctx.Load($File)
    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    #Publish the File
    $File.Publish($Comment)
    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()       

    Write-Host -f Green $File.Name "has been published successfully!"
}
Catch {
Write-host -f Red "Error:" $_.Exception.Message
}

Similarly, you can unpublish a file using: “$File.Unpublish($Comment)” method. Here is another post for bulk publish SharePoint Online: Publish Multiple Documents using PowerShell

How to Publish a Major Version in SharePoint Online using PnP PowerShell?

To publish a major version for all the documents in a SharePoint Online document library in one go, use this PowerShell script:

#Parameters
$SiteURL = "https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing" 
$ListName = "Branding"

#Connect to PnP Online
Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -Interactive
    
#Get all files from the document library
$ListItems = Get-PnPListItem -List $ListName -PageSize 2000 | Where { $_.FileSystemObjectType -eq "File" }

#Iterate through each file
ForEach ($Item in $ListItems)
{
    #Get the File from List Item
    $File = Get-PnPProperty -ClientObject $Item -Property File

    #Check if file draft (Minor version)
    If($File.CheckOutType -eq "None" -and $File.MinorVersion)
    {
        $File.Publish("Major version Published by Script")
        $File.Update()
        Invoke-PnPQuery
        Write-host -f Green "Published file at '$($File.ServerRelativeUrl)'"
    }
}

Salaudeen Rajack

Salaudeen Rajack is a SharePoint Architect with Two decades of SharePoint Experience. He loves sharing his knowledge and experiences with the SharePoint community, through his real-world articles!

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